Trembling With the Strings

Darius’ P.O.V.
I listened to the thoughts racing through Gracie’s mind, disgusted. How could she think such a thing of my family and myself? I threw myself into an unplanned lecture, words simply flowing without a second thought. By the time I realized that I had stopped hissing at her, she yanked her hand out of mine and snapped at me. I felt my heart protest at the loss of her warmth on my hand.

“I’m going to talk to my brothers. I’m sorry that I’m only human, and that you could easily kill my entire family. I’m sorry I feel a little nervous around you. Should I apologize for being born, too?”

I narrowed my eyes at her, not believing that she had just said that to me! Without a second thought, I snatched her arm and jerked her trembling body to me. Anger, pity, hopelessness and love were the conflicting emotions in my head. My body reacted to my confusion how it always did: by focusing on my rage and acting with brute force. At the last second, however, my love for her beat my fists to the punch line.

“Never say that again,” I demanded, tearing myself from her and leaving before I did something stupid.

I pushed the hair out of my face as I walked towards the other end of the house. I didn’t know where I was going, but I just couldn’t be around her. I didn’t want to lash out at her and hurt her any more than I already had, but how could she say that to me? She knew that I loved her, but she still threw that in my face.

“Something on your mind?” Dante asked me, looking up from his spot on the couch. Cameron smiled at me as she cuddled with him.

How I wished my relationship with Gracie was as simple as their bond! They made it look so easy, as if love was as natural as breathing. But perhaps it was—for them. If there was any such thing as soul mates, Dante and Cameron were surely a pair bond.

“There’s only one thing that’s been on my mind for quite some time,” I admitted in a mutter, collapsing on the free couch. I stretched quietly, my arms falling on to the back of couch.

“Gracie,” he murmured as if reading my mind. I nodded. “Cam…”

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she told him, standing up and kissing him softly. “Bye, Dray.” She reached up and kissed my cheek before leaving without another word.

“Bye,” I mumbled, staring at my feet as if they were going to tear away from my ankles and do a trick. A flip would be nice.

“What happened now?” he asked, sliding into the empty spot beside me.

“We’re having relationship problems, but it’s nothing new. She knows that I love her, but she keeps pushing me away.” I cringed at the use of those words as they triggered Gracie’s conversation with Lance. “Why won’t she just let me help her?”

Dante sighed, slouching in his seat and staring at the ceiling. “Dray, she had a completely different life than you. She grew up trusting only herself. She couldn’t rely on her parents; she didn’t dare trust the words of any strangers; she believed that she was the only thing keeping her and her brothers alive. She’s used to doing things on her own or with her brothers, and I doubt she’ll be running to you for help very much. I was shocked that she even admitted that she couldn’t raise a baby on her own since she raised three.”

“But she has me now. I want her to run to me when she needs help or when she’s scared. I’m supposed to take care of her. How can I do that when she won’t trust me?”

“I never said she doesn’t trust you. I just said that she won’t take help that is shoved down her throat. You have to let her run to you.”

“She never will,” I told him, my patience wearing thin.

“You don’t know that. When life becomes too much to bear you’ll be the one she runs to. Just be patient, Darius. Women are interesting creatures.”

“And I got the strangest one,” I sighed, shaking my head. “How do you and Cameron do it? I would kill to have Gracie look at me like Cam does to you.”

“We aren’t perfect. We fight like everyone else, but we can laugh about it later. When was the last time you and Gracie just had nice night out without commitment or worries?” he asked, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

“I took her out to dinner a few nights ago.”

“At a fancy restaurant,” he pointed out, literally pointing. “Cameron and I go to the park, and I push her on the swings while she screams, ‘Higher, Danny! Higher! I want to hold a cloud!’ at the top of her lungs. We just laugh, enjoying the break from life’s struggles and doubts. We always hit the town like two friends just wanting something to do. Have you ever done that: drop the relationship act and just focus on being best friends?”

“No,” I bit out, swallowing my pride. “Help me?”